Age 5 years old
Hobbies Sunbathing and eating strawberries
Background Surrendered ex-pet
When Chia arrived at our Black Beauty Ranch, caregivers were surprised to see she still had her tail and all her toes—signs of good health rarely seen in an iguana from the pet trade. Surrendered when her family could no longer care for her, Chia beat the odds.
Native to rainforests of Central and South America, green iguanas can live between 8 to 12 years. In captivity, they can grow over 6 feet long and live up to 20 years.
“Too often people fail to realize the amount of dedication it takes to care for reptiles,” says Chia’s caregiver at Black Beauty Ranch, Tori Frederick. “They are fascinating animals, but they should not be pets.”
Today, Chia has a permanent home at the sanctuary, where she basks under the Texas sun, enjoys juicy strawberries and steals the hearts of her caregivers.
Christi Gilbreth/Humane World for Animals
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